Monday, May 31, 2010

Soooo many questions about this movie still plaguing my geek sensibilities, forcing me to dial down my excitement until I know more. What will Ryan Reynolds look like in his CG outfit?? What will Ryan Reynolds be like as the mostly serious Hal Jordan?! And on a more peronal question note; Our Wolfman buddy Spencer Wilding is on the set as we speak..playing...? Let's take a guess. The guy is HUGE and when I once slapped his chest to get his attention, I nearly broke my hand. Giant powerhouse =...Kilowog? Very likely! You may have heard it here first, though they'll probably use someone else for the voice since Spence is a Welshman. Today, we take one giant step toward the brightest day with the official synopsis from those fine folks at Warner. Read on...

Bringing the enduringly popular superhero to the big screen for the first time, “Green Lantern” stars Ryan Reynolds (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine”) in the title role, under the direction of Martin Campbell (“Casino Royale”).

In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan.

Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax…he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all.

The film is being produced by Donald De Line (“The Italian Job”) and Greg Berlanti (upcoming “Life As We Know It”). Herbert W. Gains and Andrew Haas serve as executive producers. Geoff Johns and Lucienne Papon are co-producing.

The film’s behind-the-scenes creative team is led by a number of Academy Award® winners, including director of photography Dion Beebe (“Memoirs of a Geisha”), production designer Grant Major (“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”), and costume designer Ngila Dickson (“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”), as well as Oscar®-nominated editor and longtime Campbell collaborator, Stuart Baird (“Gorillas in the Mist,” “Superman”). The film’s visual effects are being overseen by Oscar®-nominee Kent Houston (“The Adventures of Baron Von Munchausen,” “Casino Royale”).

The film is currently scheduled for release in 3D and 2D on June 17, 2011. “Green Lantern” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

I wish that Tom Cruise would attend the MTV Movie Awards as Les Grossman and red carpet interview everyone. Imagine that he's actually a comedy improv master?? All this time?? That would be amazing. At any rate, the true star of Tropic Thunder makes an appearance on an MTV Movie Awards commercial. It's Les Grossman prepping sparkling Twilight start Robert Pattinson for the big show, particularly with some advice on what to to with the hair. Next I'd like to see Les Grossman describing to Britney Spears, in great detail, exactly the areas he would like to see waxed. Let's watch...

Friday, May 28, 2010

THE EXPENDABLES is a hard-hitting action/thriller about a group of mercenaries hired to infiltrate a South American country and overthrow its ruthless dictator. Once the mission begins, the men realize things aren’t quite as they appear, finding themselves caught in a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal. With their mission thwarted and an innocent life in danger, the men struggle with an even tougher challenge – one that threatens to destroy this band of brothers.

Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) is a man with nothing to lose. Fearless and void of emotion, he is the leader, the sage and the strategist of this tight-knit band of men who live on the fringe. His only attachment is to his pickup truck, his seaplane and his team of loyal modern-day warriors. His is a true cynic who describes what he does as “removing those hard to get at stains.” The team behind him is made up of Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), former SAS and a savant with anything that has a blade; Yin Yang (Jet Li), a master at close-quarter combat; Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), who has known Barney for ten years and is a long-barrel weapons specialist; Toll Road (Randy Couture), a skilled demolitions expert and considered the intellect of the group; and Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), a combat veteran and an expert in precision sniping who struggles with his own demons.

When the mysterious Church offers Barney a job no one else would take, Barney and his team embark on what appears to be a routine mission: overthrow General Gaza (David Zayas), the murderous dictator of the small island country of Vilena and end the years of death and destruction inflicted on its people. On a reconnaissance mission to Vilena, Barney and Christmas meet their contact Sandra (Giselle Itie), a local freedom-fighter with a dark secret. They also come to learn who their true enemy is: rogue ex-CIA operative James Monroe (Eric Roberts) and his henchman Paine (Steve Austin). When things go terribly wrong, Barney and Christmas are forced to leave Sandra behind, essentially giving her a death sentence. Haunted by this failure, Barney convinces the team to return to Vilena to rescue the hostage and finish the job he started. And to perhaps save a soul: his own.

Ahh LEGOs. Is there nothing you can't make better? Those LEGO maniacs are at it again with a mini movie adaptation of Prince of Persia, which is natural because they've got all those LEGO sets for the movie from Castle walls to the ridiculous ostrich race! This latest LEGO epic is narrated by the prince himself, Jake Gyllenhaal. While he is leading the action, I regret to inform the ladies reading that LEGO Gyllenhaal was not so inspired that he whipped the shirt off his pear shaped, plastic body. You'll have to take those fantasies somewhere else.

Come with me to a place where incredible leaps are routine every 15 minutes or so. Where the Persian people stride across the desert, their orange faces artificially kissed by the sun. This is a tale as old as time with war and treachery and love and shirtless battle and turn around shots to remind you this was once a video game. And now...THIS...is Prince of Persia.

Our tale begins with young Gyllenhaal as a street rat who shows great bravery and is taken into the king's family to be treated as if he were his flesh and blood. The boy turns into a man with distractingly large eyebrows, alongside his two royal brothers. As he came to maturity, he honed his leaping and tumbling skills and in that perfection, became the originator of Parkour, or as we call it in America, Gymkata. Now the three brothers march off to battle and in a hasty decision, attack a peaceful nation in search of weapons of mass destruction (message!) It is there that Prince Dastan comes to aquire the Dagger of Time which allows him to travel backward in time a short hop to correct a mistake or thwart an attempt on his life. With a click of the handle, a CGI sequence is activated in which Dastan becomes a floating, shimmering cartoon character, not unlike the ghosts in the Casper films, watching time reverse itself before jumping back into his body..but that comes later. As he tries not to be hypnotized by the odd features of Princess Tamina, a plot to kill his father unfolds and Dastan is left with the blame, fleeing into the sand with Tamina cracking wise behind him. See, Tamina is the protector of the Dagger and wants to return it to its rightful place before it falls into evil hands...but the baddies have already set their sights on the artifact and now that Dastan is on the run, they are looking to snatch it from his cold, dead hands.

The first 75% of Prince of Persia plays like a dim witted action feature with thrills slightly more intense than Race to Witch Mountain and the Narnia films. The chemistry between Dastan and Tamina is non-existent, so we fall back to charisma and action. In the charisma column, you'll find very little, unless you are a woman (or man so inclined) who is just in it to drool over the Gyllenhaaledness of the moment. Jake mugs for the camera and seems to do his best to slap on his action faces but only achieves a sort of homage to Brendan Fraser in the Mummy movies, as if he were a stand up comedian doing a poor imitation. Its hard to watch. We know the guy can act..he's just not bringing his A game here. His english accent, or whatever they call what he's doing with his voice, doesn't help matters much. Gyllenhaal's intonations swing wildly between cockney chimney sweep and Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As far as action goes; you are going to see a lot of swords but not one excellent sword fight. THAT is a crime. Instead we get a series of chases with Dastan showing off his video game moves, leaping in slow motion in unlikely arcs and outwitting the pursuing soldiers with very little comedic timing...or fun. At one point, I swear he does the Karate Kid Crane technique in mid-air. I wish I were joking.

At the half way mark, we finally learn why the Dagger of Time is so dangerous in the wrong hands in a bit if dialogue that flies by so fast, you'll probably miss it. Not to worry..they'll spell it out for you later. During the course of this "adventure", we get the abuse of Alfred Molina who is reduced to the portly jester role, cracking one liners and expounding about the majesty of the ostrich. Poor, poor man. We also have Ben Kingsley who doesn't seem to be allowed to show any deviation in emotion and, sadly, was also painted an odd orangey color to complete his middle eastern transformation. ACTING!! To waste these two talents is horrific, so I hope they were paid a truck load of money to take this one for the team. This will certainly do nothing for their careers.

In the final quarter of the film, we are introduced to the Hassansins, hired killers who wield amazing (though improbable) weapons with astounding skill and cut everyone in their path to ribbons. This crew of sand ninja badasses is lead by a scarred man with snakes living in his pants who becomes the REAL bad guy of the movie!! HE'S AWESOME!! So now you are staring up at the screen screaming WHERE WERE YOU AN HOUR AGO???!!! He does not answer. He's taunting you. Evil, I tell you. The Hassansins kill everyone in the movie and chase Dastan and Tamina into the finale which unfolds with ridiculous speed and is lacking in any sort of wow moment. The funny part happens next, which contains things I couldn't speak of, lest I ruin the entire film. Suffice to say, Dastans brothers are extremely likable and I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO GET TO KNOW THEM AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MOVIE!!

In case you couldn't tell, I'm agitated. Sure, video game adaptations are often horrible, but that doesn't mean Disney has to stick with Hollywood traditions. Better writing, character development and cinematography could have saved this film EASILY. Every actor on that screen was more than capable of creating memorable moments, had they been allowed to show a little depth. As it stands, the film may as well have been animated. Prince of Persia is two hours of tedious family fun that will seem like three hours of almost exciting claptrap. Ladies, if you are so rabbid about seeing Jake with his shirt off, then the picture posted here is alllll you, baby. I just saved you 10 bucks and a tension headache caused by your date trying to explode your brain for making him watch this movie. I save lives.

I pose this question. Do you really need to know that something is based on a comic book...or even what that comic is about, to drop a bunch of money on the most amazing, mind blowing robot action figures you'll ever see in your entire life?

Today, Ashley Wood's Popbot went on sale at Bambaland. They aren't cheap, but they also aren't small. For $150 a pop (pun intended), you get 15 inches of fully articulated, antiqued robot love packing a gun that can shoot through schools and his kittie buddy in a satchel. Three different styles are up for sale; Popbot, Badbot and...if you plunk down three bills, you'll get the Ascended model too! Still insist you need to know something about the comic? IDW has begrudgingly offered up this sketchy synopsis that reveals next to nothing..

Straight from the mind of Ashley Wood, Popbot features an eclectic cast of characters including a rock-star kitty cat, his robot bodyguard, Sherlock Holmes, Andy Warhol, and sexy groupies.

The moral? Giant robots fucking rule..and you will pay to own them. Resistance is futile.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Sadly, I am without BBC America and have to rely on the kindness of the DVD gods to catch me up on all the geeky goodness going on across the pond, but from that sound of fluttering skirts, I can tell the ladies like the new doctor! Underground Toys also loves the good Doctor and as far as I can tell, will be cranking out new 5 inch action figures until you start throwing rocks to stop them. BAD WOLF!! The 2010 line has just been revealed and wave 1 features some dynamic figures sure to send you into dorkspasms. You've been warned. Here's the lineup...

11th Doctor with Sonic ScrewdriverAmy PondPeter the Winder with hidden Smiler Face from the episode The Beast BelowHawthorne from the episode The Beast BelowRegenerating Weeping Angel from the episode Flesh and StoneProfessor Bracewell with revealed robotic chest and swappable arm from the episode Victory of The DaleksIronside DalekDalek Drone

These should be landing July of 2010, so get those pre-orders in ASAP.

Are you one of those people that mentions the sword fight as your favorite moment in films like Princess Bride, Zoro or...dare I say it..Episode 1? ~ducks~ Oh shut the hell up. yes Jar Jar sucks but you can't deny the Darth Maul sword fight is EPIC. Anyway, if you are one of these people, then Reclaiming The Blade will be right up your alley.

Narrated by acclaimed Welsh actor John Rhys-Davies (Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings), Reclaiming the Blade features Viggo Mortensen (History of Violence), Karl Urban (JJ Abram’s Star Trek) and and Star Wars/Pirates of the Caribbean sword-master Bob Anderson. The film explores both European and Asian historic swordplay and offers an in-depth look at the fascinating world of stage combat on the silver screen.

The film also stars Richard Taylor (Halo, X-Men), John Howe (Legendary Illustrator LOTR, Narnia), John Waller (Robin Hood, First Knight) and many more. It was produced with the support of Peter Jackson, Weta Workshop and The Royal Armouries.

In a world gone to hell...where X-Men are off chasing vampires and Rogue knocked boots with Sentry but we never even knew it happened. Seriously..they wrote that into Marvel cannon. ..I know..I was pissed too!! IN A WORLD where madness reigns and evil lurks around every corner on every street across the globe...ONE BABY will fight for your freedom. One Baby. An Iron Baby.

Tip of the invisible hat to ToysREvil for turning me on to this video! I probably shouldn't say "turn on" where babies are concerned though.

DC Comics is flush with success after the release of Batman: Arkham Asylum, but you barely hear a word about Marvel Comics last free for all, Ultimate Alliance 2 and barely a peep about the Iron Man 2 video game adaptation. Now, Capcom steps up to remind us all what happens when the heroes of video games call out the super charged characters of the Marvel Universe. Ready? FIGHT!!

Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, and the legendary Marvel Entertainment, LLC today announced the latest installment in their epic fighting game series with Marvel™ vs. Capcom® 3: Fate of Two Worlds.

It’s been a decade since Marvel™ vs. Capcom® 2: New Age of Heroes was first released and now the most popular Marvel and Capcom characters join forces again in a re-envisioned team fighting game for a new generation. Fill the shoes of legendary characters from the most beloved franchises in entertainment as you battle in the first VS. Fighting game powered by Capcom’s MT Framework. Characters (may) include...

Capcom:

AkumaChris RedfieldChun-LiDanteFeliciaFrank WestMorriganRyu

Marvel:

Captain AmericaDeadpoolDoctor DoomHulkStormWolverineSuper Skrull

“We are so pleased to be working with Marvel again. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has been one of the most requested titles for us to produce by our fans,” said Christian Svensson, Corporate Officer and Vice President of Strategic Planning and Business Development at Capcom. “Our Capcom development studio is creating the most epic fighting game ever developed and Marvel’s input into that process has been invaluable.” The newest installment of Marvel VS Capcom features:

• Innovative graphics and gameplay bring the Marvel and Capcom Universes to life: Powered by an advanced version of MT Framework, the engine used in Resident Evil 5 and Lost Planet 2, now comes to Marvel vs. Capcom 3, bringing beautiful backgrounds and character animations to the forefront.

• Evolved VS. Fighting System: Wild over-the-top gameplay complete with signature aerial combos, hyper combos and other original systems. The evolved battle system takes the exciting mind-reading game to a whole new level!

• 3-on-3 Tag Team Fighting: Players build their own perfect team and use Assist Attacks and each character’s special moves to create their own unique fighting style.

• Living Comic Book Art Style: See the most adored characters from the Capcom and Marvel universes brought to life in a “moving comic” style, blurring the boundaries between 2D and 3D graphics.

Get set for the ultimate faceoff when Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds hits PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in Spring 2011.

Talk about a labor of love! My obsession with The Tick has now bent the fabric of reality and I've literally WISHED an action figure into existence!! This Friday, May 28th, at 10am, you will be able to visit the Shocker Toys web store and pre-order your very own Mucus Tick action figure. ~tears up~

When comic book and cartoon hero The Tick fights an "Uncommon Cold", he finds himself facing off against an evil version of himself..his own sickly mucus given life by an evil alien!! Essentially, it's The Tick..but itSnot. Let the ultimate battle begin!

Mucus Tick is a translucent green version of Shocker Toys Indie Spotlight Series 2 Tick action figure with new card art. This Idle Hands exclusive action figure will be limited to 1,000 pieces and then poof..its gone. At only 22 dollars a figure (+ shipping, natch), you can afford to amass an army of these drippy fiends and take over your friend's shelf units!! VICTORY THROUGH EVIL BODILY FLUIDS!!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Funko; always with their finger on the pulse of pop culture, returns with more plush toys designed to get your girlfriend more interested in your geeky pursuits. Of course, if she was already super geeky, then you may hear squealing when you give her one of these Lord of the Rings 5 inch plushies! Legolas, Gandalf, Frodo and an Orc round out series 1, shipping this June. YOU SHALL NOT PASS UP THIS CUTENESS!!!

So there are a few lose ends left over from the series finale of LOST. Yes, I know everyone smiled at each other and then made out before going off to heaven, but what is left behind is a giant stack of unanswered questions throughout the mythology of the show..and they are still there....waiting...for college humor to ask them and now you'll watch and laugh and then cry a lot. It's what Lost people do.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Hey Kids! Pac Man got you down? Frogger not bloody enough for you? Were you playing Donkey Kong thinking "Gee, if only you could attach Mario and Luigi mouth to ass..they'd be unstoppable!!" Well wish no more!! The mad geniuses at I-Mockery (via Newgrounds.com )have come to spare you the monotony of every day life with a new game that will make all your dreams come true.

You'll feel a tingle in the cockles of your heart as the Human Centipede crawls its way down the board to invade your personal space. You'll cheer as you take aim at police officers, just like those big budget Grand Theft Auto games your friends love so much! Are you up for the challenge of the Human Centipede??!! LET'S GO!!

While everyone was gearing up to see if Jack and Kate would find time for a quickie on the black rock before the show's end, things were going on in the rest of the universe! Being the sorry excuse for a comic book collector that I am, and considering I buy trades for the most part, I missed this one. New Avengers has come to an end! The quirky team of disgruntled super heroes part ways to make room for the new world order AKA The Heroic Age and their finale was apparently a hit. Here's the propaganda...

Marvel is pleased to announce that New Avengers: Finale #1 has sold out at Diamond (though copies may still be available at the retail level) and will return with New Avengers: Finale #1 Second Printing Variant! Superstar writer Brian Michael Bendis and renowned artist Bryan Hitch bring readers into the light of The Heroic Age! The New Avengers may have made it through Siege, but they will need to come face to face with their arch enemy before they can call it a day! With two new covers featuring the lush interior pages of Bryan Hitch, and with a retrospective of the New Avengers throughout the ages from some of the industry’s top artists, fans can’t miss this!

See what fans and critics have to say about New Avengers: Finale #1:

“Bryan Hitch is a fantastic choice of artist to accompany this celebration. Much of the issue involves widescreen action and punchy, dynamic splashes, all of which Hitch excels at.” —Bryan Joel, IGN.com

“Bryan Hitch is the last in a long line of all-star artists to work on “New Avengers” and he really makes the issue breathe. He has a habit of taking an issue and expanding scenes, and that shows here as the normally relaxed Bendis-written comic is even more so here, and it helps with the celebratory feeling of the issue.” —Chad Nevett, Comicbookresources.com

“If this is what we have to look forward to for the rebooted Avengers lineup, I'm thinking that the Heroic Age might be a place that we all might want to live in for awhile.” —David Pepose, Newsarama.com

“This was the series where Bendis shaped the fate of the Marvel Universe, which is the big dog in the comics industry.” —Josh Flanagan, iFanboy.com

Now that the smoke of Siege has cleared, will the New Avengers be able to triumph and usher in a new era? Find out in New Avengers: Finale #1 Second Printing Variant!

Before I go on my rant, I understand some of you have Tivo'd and some are on the west coast, so DO NOT READ THIS until you watch the ending because there is NO WAY to have this discussion without throwing all the details out there. We clear? Coolio.

When a TV show surrounded in mystery comes to a close, the fans of that show ask for the answers in the wrap up. The trouble with that is, those fans might not like what they see. The show creators know this, so they put in as many answers as they care to in bringing the show to their planned conclusion, then toss out a series of images and wordage as to make that ending speculative. In the case of Lost, we have the "Five People you Meet in Heaven" ending...only with more than 5 people of course. The colored window in back of Jack's father in the church scene represents the world's belief systems as he tells him "I'm dead, you're dead and yea, they are all dead in there" but, since time is irrelevant in Heaven, we don't know who went and when and further, if there was even an island in the first place. If we are to listen to and believe what the writers have put on the screen, then the events on the island were a sort of Limbo..maybe for all involved..maybe for just Jack. Either way, we've been watching Jack's journey throughout the series and now he "gets it" and makes the sacrifices necessary for him to feel his job is done..and can move on. Of course, this makes all the Jakob and his brother fighting for eternity on an island that holds in the evils of the universe plot completely pointless..but who cares. We got to see everyone re-unite in the happy sideways heaven universe and smile at each other. Don't get me wrong, this is highly dramatic stuff for people who watched the show all that time and yanks on the heart strings with flawless expertise. Every actor brought their A game. Many a manly man shed big baby tears tonight. For a casual watcher that wanted in on the finale so they'd know what people are talking about at the water cooler tomorrow, I can imagine the boredom, confusion and numb ass they received.

In the final moments of the show, we see Jack giving up the ghost, staring at the sky as a plane leaves the island. We'd already been told the "Heaven scenario" before this moment, so why bother? It leaves the door open for speculation. The fan is now able to talk about the "REAL" ending of the show. Are they really going home? Are they still in their own limbo? Was the plane taking off a metaphor for Jack's soul heading for Heaven? Who cares. My annoyance begins and ends with all the mystery being thrown out the window in favor of this Heaven answer. How ever you paint it, its a cop out. Would it have hurt them to resolve the events on the island with a little more explanation and keep the sideways universe the idealized world created from Jack's sacrifice, meaning that all that stuff happens after Jack recaps the glow? Who knows why these choices are made. I'm just glad I didn't become more emotionally invested in the show than just being a casual fan. It's over. You can all stop yelling at me now.

Supplemental Notes:

CHEERS! to the show creators selling out to Target on the very last day, with commercials showing the smoke monster bested by a smoke alarm, available at Target on sale NOWW!! I'd like to see a further commercial with Hurley sneaking bite size candy bars during key moments in the show's history, finally explaining why he didn't shed any weight.

JEERS to the creators of the show's history recap for pretending the tail section story line didn't happen at all, even going so far as to block Mr. Eko out of the montage shots. Wasn't he a major player for a stretch??!! You also didn't give Michelle Rodriguez her due, even though she was used in the sideways heaven. Boggles the mind.

My friend Chris says that Ben was hit in the face 108 times over the course of the show's history. I believe him.

Friday, May 21, 2010

I know, this is about 10 days late, but I'm not yet on the porny mailing list yet and most of my geeky friends were dumbfounded when i suggested there would be MORE thrusting heroes on the way...so here's the goods...

Vivid Entertainment, the world's leading adult film company, has announced the formation of Vivid-Superhero, a new imprint that will have Axel Braun as its lead director.

"The parodies under this new imprint will pay tribute to the world's most popular comic heroes," said Steven Hirsch, Founder/Co-chairman of Vivid. "Axel already started pre-production on a parody of Superman, which will be followed by those of The Green Hornet, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Thor, and The Incredible Hulk. We made the decision to create the imprint after working with Axel on "Batman XXX: A Porn Parody", an Axel Braun Productions movie to be distributed by Vivid. Axel truly did an amazing job with it, and we agreed that together we could mine the really rich treasure of superheroes and have a lot of fun doing it."

"I honestly couldn't be more excited," said Braun. "Working with Vivid is an incredible experience, and with this new imprint I'll have all the creative latitude to deliver quality productions that will appeal to the huge fan base that exists for these iconic figures."

Axel recently wrapped "Batman XXX: A Porn Parody", a take-off on the campy 60's TV show, scheduled for release on May 24, 2010, and he's already in pre-production on his next three parodies to be distributed by Vivid: Grease XXX, The Godfather XXX, and The Addams Family XXX.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

The Vilcek Foundation Showcases the International Artists and Filmmakers of ABC’s Hit Show : Exhibit Opens May 20, 2010, at the Vilcek Foundation Gallery

Just three days before the world-­‐wide television phenomenon LOST wraps up its final season, the Vilcek Foundation will open for public view a premiere exhibition celebrating the international creative talent, both in front of and behind the camera, that have contributed to the unbridled success of this show during its six-­‐year run.

The exhibit, presented in collaboration with the ABC Television Network and open for two weeks only at the Vilcek Foundation Gallery in New York City, will feature images and biographical profiles of immigrant and first-­‐generation American members of the LOST cast and crew, working across all departments of the production team, from actingand costume design, to editing and lighting.

“It is thrilling to highlight an aspect of this popular show that is so often overlooked by the public eye,” said Executive Director Rick Kinsel, speaking of the pivotal role played by the diverse members of LOST’s creative team.

“LOST provides an ideal forum for reminding us all that the work of immigrants touches our lives in myriad positive ways, every day, often without our knowing or realizing.”

LOST premiered in 2004 and quickly became a global phenomenon, airing in more than 228 territories across the globe. The show’s premise, about a flight from Sydney to Los Angeles that crash lands on a mysterious island in the Pacific, lent itself to boasting one of the most multicultural casts on television.

The exhibit also includes crewmembers whose families hail from all parts of the globe – including the Philippines, Ireland, Tonga, South Africa, New Zealand, the U.K. and China.

The profiled individuals will also be set against a collection of popular props and figures from the set of the award-­‐winning show. For the first time ever, fans in NYC will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of their favorite imagery from LOST’s mystical, mysterious time-­‐travelling island.

See? And they said all my man sobbing and tantrums on Youtube wouldn't do me any good. WHO'S LAUGHING NOW??!! HAAA!!! Pee Wee's Playhouse LIVE is coming to Broadway very soon and June 1st, the race is on for tickets. Fight the scalpers and be prepared...

SPECIAL SIX-WEEK ENGAGEMENT BEGINS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26 AT THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM THEATRE

OPENING NIGHT IS SET FOR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11

* * * * * * *

TICKETS ON SALE TO GENERAL PUBLIC JUNE 1

Producer Scott Sanders announced today that film and television icon Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) will bring his signature brand of hilarious mayhem to Broadway for a special six-week limited engagement of the acclaimed stage play, The Pee-wee Herman Show.

Based on Reubens’ 1981 cult classic stage production, The Pee-wee Herman Show, with new elements from the ground-breaking CBS show “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” added generously, this new production is written by Paul Reubens and Bill Steinkellner, with additional material by John Paragon. Directed by Alex Timbers (Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson), The Pee-wee Herman Show will feature music by Jay Cotton and the work of renowned puppetry artist Basil Twist. Direct from its acclaimed, sold-out run in Los Angeles, The Pee-wee Herman Show will begin its 48-performance limited run on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 and officially open on Thursday, November 11 at the newly renamed Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43rd street). The engagement will run through December 5.

Based on the Saturday morning television show that became a cultural phenomenon, The Pee-wee Herman Show reunites the one-and-only Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) with many of the original Playhouse cast of characters – including Miss Yvonne, Cowboy Curtis, Pterri the Pterodactyl, Jambi the Genie, and Chairry – for an all new celebration of sophisticated silliness. An eye-popping 90 minutes of subversive humor and childlike wonder, The Pee-wee Herman Show charts a day in the life of our bow-tied hero, one of the most inspired comic personas of our time.

So you've read The Zombie Survival Guide and memorized the best weapons and strategies to escape the living dead, but what happens next? When the hordes are gone and we are left living in a world where, at any given moment, a groaning corpse could pop out of the bushes to ruin your nice picknick lunch by eating your girlfriend's head, we need practical solutions for handy concealable dispatchment and more importantly, the means for a quick getaway. Ford now offers a solution to at least one of those problems...

Each car should come standard with the collapsible shovel/axe with the crowbar handle to complete the image. Let's kick some undead ass!!

When we last visited Megamind, I was showing off the toys and crossing my fingers that this would actually make me laugh. This new trailer seals the deal...

When super villain Megamind (Will Ferrell) defeats his archrival Metro Man (Brad Pitt), the world should be his oyster. But instead, Megamind falls into total despair. It turns out that life without a rival is life without a point for him. So, he creates a new superhero rival, Titan (Jonah Hill). Unfortunately, the new hero wants to be a super villain, too. Caught in the middle, star reporter Roxanne Ritchi (Tina Fey) asks the tough questions: Who can we turn to? Who has what it takes to stand up to this menace? Who will defend the innocent? Megamind! That's who.

Any movie with Will Ferrell where I go in knowing I'm not forced to see him naked is already off to a great start.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Looks like the minions from this movie are the new Raving Rabbids! You can expect all your friends that see this movie to be screaming "IT'S SO FLUFFFFEEE!!!

Just FYI, Toy Factory seems to be the only company doing toys. The line is all plush with no apparent features (my sadness that they don't talk will be visible) including Edith, Agnes, Margo, Agnes' Unicorn (is it fluffy enough??!! probably not.) and minions Stewart, Dave and Jorge.

Here's the official movie synopsis...

In a happy suburban neighborhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, hidden beneath this home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by a small army of minions, we discover Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon (Yes, the moon!) in Universal’s new 3-D CGI feature, Despicable Me.

Gru delights in all things wicked. Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays, and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad.

The world’s greatest villain has just met his greatest challenge: three little girls named Margo, Edith and Agnes. Despicable Me hits theaters July 9th, 2010.

I swear it wasn't called Monster Mash-Up before, so that's news to me! Retailers received new images of the upcoming vinyl bobble line from Funko that takes your favorite Star Wars characters and transforms them into hideous creatures from a galaxy called HELL!!!

What's funny is the Mash-Up title is a very interesting way to alter public perception from this line being about Star Wars characters turning into monsters to it being an artist interpretation of a Star Wars character combined with an iconic monster from movies and literature. SPINNY!!

So we've got Yoda and a Gargoyle, Stormtrooper and a Skeleton, Darth Vader and Frankenstein and Chewbacca and a Werewolf...which create Yogoyle, Skeletrooper, Vadenstein and Werebacca! OK I made those names up, but I'll let them use em' if they ask me nice...and send me some. Look for Funko's Star Wars Monster Mash-Ups this September.

And now...My votes for upcoming releases...

Greedo and a Zombie (with the blast hole in his chest so you can see clear through)Leia and the Bride of Frankenstein (which makes it incestuous...so double the horror)Porkins and the Hunchback (just for the sake of comedy)Han Solo and Dracula (cuz he gets the ladies)Luke Skywalker and a Giant Bat Creature (to turn bunny teeth into bat fangs, of course!)Darth Maul and The Mummy (trade the saber for a staff)Grievous and The Fly (make use of those extra arms!)R2D2 and The Blob (little transparent pink killer robot!!)C3PO and The Creature from the Black Lagoon (just thinking about what the end design could look like makes me smile)

It's rare you can look at a new comics wall nowadays, browse the Marvel titles and NOT see Deadpool's sarcastic mug on a cover or 3 (much like Wolverine in the 90's!) Kotobukiya is well aware that the merc with a mouth is the new "It Boy" and wants to give fans a Deadpool statue that captures every annoying, arrogant, insufferable inch of him.

The “Merc with a Mouth” is on a rampage! One of the most popular comic book superheroes in the business, Wade Wilson is popping up everywhere, and now he’s taken over Kotobukiya as the next Fine Art Statue in the Marvel Comics Presents collection, DEADPOOL! Formerly a member of the Weapon X program, Wilson has since struck out on his own as an assassin for hire and independent agent. With his trademark costume, extensive armory, and nonstop witty repartee, Deadpool makes a huge impact wherever he goes.

Never stopping for a moment, Deadpool is posed in the midst of intense action, leaping over a crate with weapons at the ready. His iconic red and black skin-tight costume highlights the mutant assassin’s muscular physique as well as the intense concentration apparent on his face. Deadpool is also laden with his usual assortment of goodies, including the knife sheathed on his left ankle, various waist pouches, and a gun holstered on his right thigh. Depending on what style of fighting you prefer, Deadpool can be outfitted with either set of included arms; one wields his deadly katanas and the other fires intricately detailed Uzis!

Deadpool stands approximately 10 inches tall, leaning over a detailed battle scene complete with crate and even a tiny Deadpool “plush” toy! Sculpted by Erick and William Valenzuela, the demented yet hilarious assassin is recreated in high quality cold cast resin.

Available this August with an MSRP of $200. My only crit would be that Koto should go easy on the glaze. It makes the statue look too shiny. Bowen has always done this right.

In case you've missed it, Kotobukiya is also releasing an X-Men Danger Room Session – Wolverine statue (SRP $169.99 Available in October), a nine inch statue based on Jim Lee's art and sculpted by Erick Sosa featuring a light up base and two interchangeable heads (mask on and mask off.) Psylocke will follow soon after. A Sabretooth Fine Art Statue designed by the Silva Brothers and Sculpted by Erick Sosa is also slated for release as well as a War Machine Art FX Statue (available this October for $119.99).

The Bishoujo line continues in 2010 with the recently announced White Phoenix San Diego Comic Con exclusive.

Sculpted by Koei Matsumoto, White Phoenix is constructed of high-quality pvc plastic and stands approximately 9 inches tall (in 1/8 scale with the other Marvel x Bishoujo statues). The stunning beauty of the White Phoenix will look great in your collection, especially standing side by side with the green Phoenix and her “evil twin,” the Dark Phoenix!

The White Phoenix Bishoujo statues will be available as a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive from Preview Night, July 21st! Both the standard and Dark Phoenix versions are available for pre-order now with an SRP of $59.99

Koto also showed off concept art for the next piece; Emma Frost, so we thought that might bear repeating...and showing off...and drooling over.

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